While starting pitcher A.J. Burnett had a rough year with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2014, signs appear to point to at least returning for the 2015 season, when he will be 38-years-old.
Starting pitcher A.J. Burnett recently had hernia surgery, and now CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman is reporting that while nothing is for certain yet, signs point to Burnett deciding against retirement and returning for the 2015 season.
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Burnett had a rocky year with the Philadephia Phillies, posting an ugly 4.59 ERA in 34 starts; and despite pitching 213 innings, which was the second-highest total of his 15-year career, Burnett looked little like the excellent starting pitcher he had been in 2012 and 2013 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The 34 starts also helped escalate the salary of the player option in Burnett’s contract and he can return to the Phillies for the 2015 season for $12.75 million, presuming the Phillies decline a $15-million dollar team option. Basically, Burnett can return in 2015 for that amount guaranteed, but he’d likely remain in Philadephia, unless the Phillies were to trade him. He was almost traded to the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline, but according to Heyman, Burnett wouldn’t waive his player option and the Angels weren’t interested in him with the option.
It’s also entirely possible Burnett decides to come back in 2015, but still declines the option, crazy as it may be. Heyman notes that Burnett has made a lot of money in his career, and was well-liked by the Pirates organization during his time there. Pittsburgh has a couple of its own free agent starting pitchers to deal with, in Francisco Lirano and Edinson Volquez, but it’s not crazy to think the cost-conscious Pirates wouldn’t be interested in a deal to Burnett’s liking that works for all involved if their free agents walk.
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